Jay C. (jareylee) reviewed on 4/14/2009 + 25 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 5

Charming, engaging, warm book about people living lives to the fullest in a complex environment. Set just after the end of WWII about the people of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, occupied for five years by the Germans. The novel's plot and characters are presented entirely and solely through letters and telegrams to the other characters of the novel. I wasn't sure it would work for me when I first picked up the book, but I got hooked early on and loved the convention and the way the plot unfolded and its characters developed. Easy to read, no side themes to research or understand, except perhaps an awareness of the devastation of occupied and bombed Europe immediately following WWII (now that it's been more than 60 years since WWII ended). No battle scenes; brief descriptions presented as recollection of concentration camp atrocities. Main theme is people turning lemons into lemonades, living life today as fully as possible, in finding and valuing what's best in each other. But, not sappy or syrupy. Yes, there's a love story, too, a child, and a dog within its pages.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details